Apparatus for applying protective coating to picker sticks

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for automatically applying a protective coating to elongated picker sticks. The apparatus includes a conveyor means having a plurality of pivotal clamps carried thereby. The picker sticks are inserted within the clamps and conveyed over the open top tank in which a lacquer solution is carried. A pair of spaced disks straddle the conveyor means and engage the clamps for holding the picker sticks in a vertical position as the picker sticks are successively immersed in the lacquer solution.

1 1 Feb' 25, 1975 United States Patent [191 Huflman a md 8 NW at rbw aa CBW .1 17 3355 9999 1111 ///l 900 1.1 0463 346 171 050 927 15 22 APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PROTECTIVE COATING T0 PICKER STICKS [76] Inventor: James Earle Huffman, 42 Stone Haven Dr., Greenville, SC. 29607 Primary ExaminerMorris Kaplan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bailey & Dority 4 7 9 l 9 1 r u A4 0 N .mL 0.. MD. FA .11 21 22 [.1

[57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for automatically applying a protective coating to elongated picker sticks. The apparatus includes a conveyor means having a plurality of pivotal clamps carried thereby. The picker sticks are inserted within the clamps and conveyed overthe open top tank in which a lacquer solution is carried. A pair of .5 ,7 HO E 3 e m M2 2 A-M a "1W1 2 "4B "84 "ll "11 WW ..1 mnl mm 0 we M3 he ms LMW h e .mF 1:1 100 55 11.

W spaced disks straddle the conveyor means and engage the clamps for holding the picker sticks in a vertical position as the picker sticks are successively immersed in the lacquer solution.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Pollard................................

118/423 5 Claims, 5 Drawing; Figures APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PROTECTIVE COATING TO PICKER STICKS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to an apparatus for applying protective coatings to items and more particularly to an apparatus for conveying and successively applying a protective lacquer coating to picker sticks.

Picker sticks are elongated wooden members normally constructed of hickory or laminated hickory material for use in propelling shuttles back and forth across a loom during the weaving operating. In most applications the picker stick is constructed of a wooden blank which is pressed into shape. After the surfaces of the blank have been planed and sanded a protective coating is applied to produce a finished appearance thereto. The protective coating also adds to the wearability of the picker sticks in addition to minimizing splinters. Heretofore, after the picker sticks have been sanded and finished they were manually dipped in a lacquer solution and hung on racks to dry. Such consumed a considerable amount of manual labor and was quite slow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The subject invention pertains to an apparatus for automatically applying a protective coating on elongated picker sticks. The apparatus includes a conveyor means for transporting the picker sticks in succession. A lacquer solution is carried within a tank having an open top. The run of the conveyor brings the picker sticks closely adjacent the open top of the tank. Pivotal clamping devices are carried in succession by the conveyor means. The elongated picker sticks are wedged within the pivotal clamping devices for being transported by the conveyor. The conveyor means is driven so as to immerse the picker sticks in succession in the lacquer solution carried within the tank. Directly above the tank the conveyor is in the form of a V shaped configuration so as to permit the picker sticks to pass over the side of the tank then to be immersed therein. A pair of disks straddle the V" shaped portion of the conveyor and engage the clamps for holding the picker sticks in a substantially vertical position as the picker sticks are immersed in the lacquer in the tank.

The clamps for securing the picker sticks to the driven conveyor includes an inverted U shaped bracket with a spring bias flange carried by one of the sides of the bracket extending upwardly towards the other side. A post extends horizontally from one side of the inverted U shaped bracket so that when a picker stick is wedged between the spring bias flange and the other side of the bracket for securing such thereto, the end of the picker stick abuts against the post.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically applying a protective coating on elongated picker sticks.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which assures that picker sticks being transported by a conveyor means are held in a vertical position as such are immersed in a tank of lacquer.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for transporting picker sticks with a clamping means wherein picker sticks can be readily inserted and removed therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a portion of the apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention for applying a protective coating to elongated picker sticks,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view illustrating a portion of the conveyor means immersing picker sticks successively within a tank of lacquer,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view illustrating a portion of the conveyor means and clamping devices used for securing picker sticks thereto,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating a portion of the disk engaging the clamping devices for maintaining picker sticks in a vertical postion as such are immersed in a solution of lacquer, and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring in more detail to FIG. 1 of the drawings there is illustrated a conveyor generally designated by the reference character 10 adapted to transport picker sticks 12 in succession to a tank 14 filled with a lacquer 16. The picker sticks 12 are loaded onto clamps 18 which are moved by the conveyor. 10 in succession to be immersed within the tank 14.

Only a portion of the conveyor run is illustrated in FIG. 1. The picker sticks 12 are loaded onto the clamps 18 at a lower portion of the conveyor run generally designated by the reference character 20. The picker sticks are then moved upwardly to an elevated height as indicated in the area designated by the reference character 21. This is to permit the picker sticks to be raised sufficiently high to pass over the top of the tank 14. The conveyor run then has a portion which is substantially V shaped generally designated by the reference character 22 wherein the picker sticks 12 are lowered into the tank 14. In order to insure that the picker sticks are held within a vertical position as such are lowered into the tank 14 a pair of spaced wooden disks 24 and 26, which are joined at the center by blocks 28 are utilized. The opposed disks 24 and 26 straddle the conveyor and ride on the clamping means 18. As the clamping means 18 engages the surfaces of the disks 24 and 26 such causes the disks to rotate.

The tank 14 which contains the lacquer 16 is constructed of any suitable material such as steel and includes a pair of spaced walls 30 and 32 which are joined by side walls 34 and 36 and a bottom 38. The top of the tank 14 is open so as to allow the picker sticks to be fed therein.

The level of the lacquer which is to be used to coat the picker sticks, is maintained constant by providing an overflow 40 adjacent the top of the tank. The lacquer flows through the overflow 40 through a pipe 42 into a reservoir 44. It is then pumped from the reservoir 44 through a tube 46 by means of a pump 48 back into the bottom of the tank 14 through a conduit 50. The purpose of maintaining the level of the lacquer 16 constant is to insure that the height of the stick that is coated with the lacquer is uniform. Normally, it is not desired to coat the very top of the picker stick since such is provided for receiving a picker.

The conveyor means includes an elongated tubular housing 52 which has an elongated slot 54 provided in the bottom thereof through which downwardly extending arms 56 extend for supporting the inverted U shaped brackets 18. A conventional conveyor chain is carried within the tubular housings and includes lengths defined by spaced members 56 and 58 between which a ballbearing wheel 60 is journaled. Alternate links of the conveyor chain are carried in horizontal and vertical planes so that alternate ballbearing wheels 60 are at right angles to each other. This permits the conveyor chain to run smoothly within the tubular housing 52. The downwardly extending arm 56 has a pivotal coupling 62 which consists of a nut and bolt which extends through the upwardly extending protrusion 64 carried on the top of the inverted U shaped bracket 18.

The inverted U shaped bracket is defined by a single piece of metal bent into a U shaped configuration including a pair of spaced side walls 66 and 68 which are joined by a top 70. Extending upwardly from the bottom side of the side wall 68 is a spring steel flange 72 which has an upwardly extending portion 73 that is secured to the side wall 68 as by brads or welding. The flange 72 is spring biased so as to lock the picker sticks 12 against the side wall 66 when such is forced within the U shaped bracket 18. A post 74 extends through the side wall 66 into the interior of the U shaped bracket 18 for abutting against the top of the picker stick 12 when such is inserted therein.

It is noted that the flange 72 as shown in FIG. extends outwardly beyond the U shaped bracket 18 so as to permit the disks 24 and 26 to ride thereon. When the disk engages the flange 72 such causes the picker stick 12 to be held in a vetical position as illustrated in FIG. 4 while being immersed in the lacquer. If the disks 24 and 26 were not utilized and the density of the picker sticks 12 were less than the density of the lacquer the picker sticks would tend to swing upwardly in the lacquer. As the successive clamping devices 18 engage the spaced disks 24 and 26 on the periphery thereof such causes the disks to rotate.

in order to unload the picker sticks 12 from the U" shaped-bracket, outwardly and downwardly extending flanges 76 are carried by the tubular housing 52 in the vicinity of the conveyor run designated by the reference character 20. The flanges 76 engage the upper surfaces 70 of the U shaped bracket as the picker sticks 12 are engaged by an operator and tilted such as shown on the left of FIG. 3. Normally, the picker stick is tilted upwardly and outwardly to disengage such from the clamping device 18.

The conveyor chain may be driven by any suitable device and in one particular embodiment it is driven by an electric motor 78. The electric motor 78 has a pulley adjacent one end around which a belt 80 extends. The belt 80 also loops around an enlarged pulley wheel 90 for rotating a tooth gear 92 carried on the same shaft thereof. The tooth gear 92 engages the chain of the conveyor for driving such through the tubular housing 52. The details of the drive mechanism for the chain are not disclosed fully since such does not form part of the subject invention.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for automatically applying a protective coating on elongated picker sticks comprising:

a. a conveyor means for transporting said picker sticks in succession,

b. a tank having an open top,

0. a lacquer solution carried in said tank,

d. said conveyor means having a run closely adjacent said open top of said tank,

e. pivotal clamping means carried in succession by said conveyor means,

f. said elongated picker sticks being carried by said pivotal clamping means,

g. means for driving said conveyor means for immersing said picker sticks in succession in said laquer solution carried in said tank,

h. horizontally disposed flange means extending from opposed sides of each said clamping means transversely to the direction of conveyor movement,

i. a pair of vertically extending and horizontally aligned rotatable disks straddling said conveyor and operatively associated with said tank and said flange means at said run, and

j. means guiding said conveyor through said run whereby said flange means pass beneath and in contact with said disks whereby to maintain said clamp and picker stick therewith in a vertical position in said lacquer solution. lacquer solution.

2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said pivotal clamping means includes:

a. an inverted U shaped bracket, and

b. a spring biased flange carried by said inverted shaped bracket for engaging a picker stick for securing said picker stick in said bracket.

3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes:

a. an elongated tubular housing,

b. chain means being shifted through said tubular housing,

c. means for supporting said pivotal clamping means on said chain means, and

d. said tubular housing having a portion of a substantially V shape configuration directly over said open top tank.

4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising:

a. a post carried by one side of said inverted U" shaped bracket and extending towards the other side, and

b. said spring biased flanged extending upwardly from said other side of said invented U shaped bracket at an angle of approximately 45;

whereby an end of a picker stick is wedged between said spring biased flange and said one side of said inverted U" shaped bracket with an end of said picker stick abutting against said post.

5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein:

a. said disks simultaneously engages a plurality of successive pairs of flange means, and

b. said disks being rotated by said flange means as said conveyor means is driven. l 

1. An apparatus for automatically applying a protective coating on elongated picker sticks comprising: a. a conveyor means for transporting said picker sticks in succession, b. a tank having an open top, c. a lacquer solution carried in said tank, d. said conveyor means having a run closely adjacent said open top of said tank, e. pivotal clamping means carried in succession by said conveyor means, f. said elongated picker sticks being carried by said pivotal clamping means, g. means for driving said conveyor means for immersing said picker sticks in succession in said laquer soluTion carried in said tank, h. horizontally disposed flange means extending from opposed sides of each said clamping means transversely to the direction of conveyor movement, i. a pair of vertically extending and horizontally aligned rotatable disks straddling said conveyor and operatively associated with said tank and said flange means at said run, and j. means guiding said conveyor through said run whereby said flange means pass beneath and in contact with said disks whereby to maintain said clamp and picker stick therewith in a vertical position in said lacquer solution. lacquer solution.
 2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said pivotal clamping means includes: a. an inverted ''''U'''' shaped bracket, and b. a spring biased flange carried by said inverted ''''U'''' shaped bracket for engaging a picker stick for securing said picker stick in said bracket.
 3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes: a. an elongated tubular housing, b. chain means being shifted through said tubular housing, c. means for supporting said pivotal clamping means on said chain means, and d. said tubular housing having a portion of a substantially ''''V'''' shape configuration directly over said open top tank.
 4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising: a. a post carried by one side of said inverted ''''U'''' shaped bracket and extending towards the other side, and b. said spring biased flanged extending upwardly from said other side of said invented ''''U'''' shaped bracket at an angle of approximately 45*; whereby an end of a picker stick is wedged between said spring biased flange and said one side of said inverted ''''U'''' shaped bracket with an end of said picker stick abutting against said post.
 5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein: a. said disks simultaneously engages a plurality of successive pairs of flange means, and b. said disks being rotated by said flange means as said conveyor means is driven. 